EMERGE continues its series of recommendations with a peek inside the inspirations of Krista Brown, an apparel designer based in Brooklyn. A veteran of urban brands including Akademiks/PRPS and Gilyard, she is currently freelancing for companies including the brand-new Rip-Off & Duplicate (R&D), 10Deep, Local Strangler, and Edun. Her design aesthetic blends a keen desire to preserve the utility and functionality of the product with a forward-looking fascination with the interplay between culture and technology. Below are a few of the creators and lines that Krista admires and draws inspiration from:

"Vilma Mare is a designer/clothing artist that I apprenticed under as I was finishing up design school. Her work gets a bit theatrical, but she's incredibly innovative in her use of shape and materials."

"Mandarina Duck is an Italian collection of handbags, luggage, and accessories that I really, really love. The lines are clean, geometric, and minimal, and the designers have a solid grasp on functionality and purpose. It's not flashy, and it's not gimmicky."

"Andre Courreges is my favorite of the classic fashion icons. He is to fashion what Panton & Saarinen were to furniture during the Space Age movement of the 60's."

"DDC Lab is a line I consistently look to for inspiration. I am truly in awe of their design team."

"Final Home Final Home wasn't right for New York, judging by its short-lived stint on Lafayette Street. But, the concept-heavy brand is still quite active in Japan, and it really does a brilliant job of taking classic silhouettes just slightly out of the box."

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